Chapter 179

“Wow, it’s been a while since I went for a walk with my little brother. Can’t we do this more often? I raised you, so you should be the one taking my arm!”

Pang Choryeo returned from outside the city, riding in a prepared carriage, wearing a very satisfied expression.

To Pang Choryeo, Pang Dae-san was more like a younger brother than a son, leaning significantly toward the son side of the spectrum.

“Choryeo, are you okay?”

“Of course! My stiff-as-a-board brother is finally letting me take his arm and stroll! I can finally let our grown-up Dae-san go now. When did he grow up to be so grumpy and less cute? Hm. He wasn’t exactly cute when he was younger either.”

Pang Choryeo’s heartfelt joke made Pang Dae-san’s eyebrows twitch.

But he couldn’t refute it because it was all true, so his eyebrows just bobbed.

Is he really stiff? Is this the first time we’ve locked arms? Is he really that grumpy with no charm? Wasn’t he the same as a child? All the points were painfully accurate.

“Dae, you should treat Choryeo well. Where else can you find a sister like this in the world?”

“Really, there’s only our Qing Ah. I should make her my little sister instead. How about it, Qing Ah?”

“Little sister” refers to a formal title used for a woman addressing her younger brother’s wife in the Central Plain; informally, you could just call her a sister.

But this was just Pang Choryeo’s subtle trick to pull Qing into the family, and Qing was completely oblivious to these women’s subtle relationship dynamics.

That’s the scary part about women.

Pang Choryeo would start calling her “sister” from now on and ultimately get her officially linked with her brother in front of everyone else.

Pang Dae-san, feeling uncomfortable, changed the subject.

“Ahem, anyway, I plan to leave for Gaebong tonight.”

“At night? When?”

“I plan to head out around Chuk-shi.”

Chuk-shi corresponds to around two o’clock in the morning for Qing.

The twelve zodiac hours indicate time, with each hour divided into two parts. The first hour, “Zi,” is midnight, and the others are added by two-hour intervals, making it quite manageable.

Just for reference, noon is also referred to as “Wu-shi,” but why the order is reversed is a convoluted mystery of yin and yang, which ultimately just complicates things—such is the nature of Central Plain’s rationale.

“Oh? Chuk-shi? Why are you leaving in the dead of night?”

“I can’t stand looking at those beggars anymore. My interest in them keeps dwindling.”

“True. You’re always going through so much hardship. Well, I guess I’ll see you in Gaebong. You know Je-gal and Nan right? Just send my regards and tell them I’m doing fine.”

Pang Dae-san raised his eyebrows slightly.

“What are you talking about? Aren’t you going?”

“Me? I was just planning to take my time and leave. Wait, I’m supposed to be going too? Then who will I go with?”

“That would be…”

Pang Dae-san hesitated. He was ready to say who by default, but just saying that sounded weird.

“Choryeo, are you going too?”

“Me? It would be great to go together, but someone has to stick around to entertain the guests. If both of us just bail, what do you think Mo Yong and Jo’s family would think? They might think we sent the kids away just because we didn’t want to see them.”

“Huh? So, it’s just the two of you going? Is that what it is?”

Pang Dae-san felt a serious sense of unfairness.

Qing was acting as if she had no shame at all, treating him like a same-gendered family member. After all, last night she’d just turned away, tossed her clothes aside, and was cleaning herself without a care in the world.

She would say absolutely anything, no questions asked.

But when he brought it up, she was all like, “So, the two of you are going?”

Was she only up for fun when it was convenient for her?

“What’s going on? Is there a problem?”

“No, I guess I wouldn’t mind tomorrow or the day after, but I just can’t wrap my head around today. Can’t it wait until tomorrow? And don’t say that ‘Chuk-shi’ counts as the next day because it’s already past midnight.”

Of course, Qing had no specific sentiments about it.

She just didn’t feel like rushing with a packed schedule ahead.

At that, Pang Dae-san let out a sigh of relief.

He just wanted some lazy time.

But that feeling simmered with something else that made him feel a bit restless.

“Aren’t you just lounging around with nothing else to do?”

“No, I was just thinking of visiting A-Jun’s place.”

“A-Jun? Who’s that?”

“Oh, Mo Yongjun, a little brat. I need to mess with him while I can.”

Qing had a sly smile on her face.

At this, Pang Dae-san’s eyebrows twitched.

“If we delay any longer, someone will get pestering us. There’s also Geomhwa, Brother Jo, and that younger sibling. I’m going, so you decide whether to come along or ditch me to visit that little brat Mo Yong!”

“Huh? What kind of one or the other choice is that? I never thought of you as the type to be so childish, huh? Nah, you were always completely childish. That’s right.”

Thinking back, he always spoke very shortly and bluntly, just like he had when they first met—a practically open child. He’d been all, “Come on, hit me! Think you can do it?” and ended up getting smacked hard.

“What? Childish? How dare you say that?

“It’s always the guilty one who kicks up a fuss, you know? Sigh. What can I do? My little Dae-san has no friends except for me, so I need to keep him company.”

“Haha, so you think I have no friends?”

“Of course! Name one!”

“Hmph, you think I can’t name anyone? Just watch.”

Pang Dae-san paused.

Just watch what?

Geomhwa? No way. Je-gal’s family is too suffocating. Chang-bin and Hwang-bo are too much like brothers.

Other than that, he just had casual acquaintances from the junior society. There wasn’t anyone he could comfortably call a friend.

Do I really have no friends?

That sudden realization froze Pang Dae-san in his tracks.

“See? There’s only Seomun Qing!”

“Haha, then you—!”

“Can I name anyone? Can you handle it?”

Qing curled one lip into a smug, annoying grin.

“Alright, fine. I’ll go alone, so you can mess around with your good friends.”

“What? Are you sulking?”

“Sigh. Just don’t say anything.”

Qing’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Wow, she’s really sulking, isn’t she?

“Hey, what are you doing? A guy like Seomun Qing won’t just abandon his loyalty, right? Should I leave my friend behind to wander alone?

“I’m not sulking!”

“You, for real? Really not sulking? Is it because I didn’t go with you that you’re not sulking?”

Qing poked Pang Dae-san’s side with her elbow, asking her questions.

Then Pang Dae-san would lose it again.

“Oh come on! How can a woman be so carefree? Can’t you have any sense?”

“Oh, come on, who cares among friends?”

Pang Choryeo watched the two of them bicker, a smile lingering on her face as she quietly slipped away.

—-

The martial arts community of the Central Plain is as diverse as its surnames because local nobles often replace their names with fancier ones.

Among them, the most famous five are the Five Great Clans, and to match the numbers, there are also five more, forming the Ten Great Clans.

There was once a clan named Jinju, but it no longer exists. (Although we should also hear Unyeonjeong’s opinion on that.)

With one vacancy opened up, it needed to be filled, and it was a golden opportunity for the local influential clans to claim their place, even if not exactly on par with the Five Great Clans.

And among them, there was one family with a particularly unique surname.

The Gongson Family.

The Gongson surname belonged to humanity’s first emperor and the greatest sage of the Central Plain. This family claims to be descendants of the venerable ancestor, Gongson Hunyuan, the Emperor.

Since the truth of that claim is uncertain, it remains just that—a claim.

However, this claim could also tie into a revolt, so after getting the short end of the stick back in the day, they were forced to change their surname, dropping Gongson and just using Gong instead.

However, they could never let go of their family’s identity and came up with a unique workaround, using the first character of each family member’s name and ensuring all names were three syllables.

In any case, they managed to keep Gongsun in their name, which is why the name Gongson Family carries those historical pains and their unyielding identity.

Thus, the current head of the family, Gongson Daewol, declared:

“At last, our family’s ambition is at hand. The official is a mere puppet, so once we rank among the Ten Great Clans, who can stop us from reclaiming our ancestral surname?”

The Ten Great Clans of the Central Plain isn’t just a list of ten families from above—it’s an intricate network, tightly knitted through connections—truly the largest, most splendid guanxi on the earth!

Fueled by that network, they aimed to restore the Gong surname back to Gongson.

“For that, your roles are crucial. We must display overwhelming prowess at the Zhanli Competition. Additionally, we need to secure family ties with influential women from the Five Great Clans or the Eight Distinguished Houses—no, the Ten Great Clans.”

“Yes, Father. Don’t worry!”

“Alright…”

“I trust you all.”

—-

“Do we really have to go this far? Can’t we just ride out in the carriage?”

Qing, dressed like a servant, said.

Pang Dae-san, also dressed as a servant, replied.

“You’re greatly underestimating those ruthless folks.”

So, under the cover of the late-night darkness, shortly after Chuk-shi, a man and woman quietly snuck out the side door of the Zhangyuan Daoist Gate.

With their heads lowered and eyes fixated on the ground, they took measured steps that clearly marked them as servants.

As they scurried past, Qing discreetly observed and started to understand Pang Dae-san’s words.

Wow, seriously. Those fierce girls…

This is how it was.

On a dark, moonlit night.

Two people who happened upon each other while wandering outside because they couldn’t sleep.

In the night, when hidden desires spring forth, and the secret longings concealed in daylight peek out.

So, what might a couple intoxicated by the moonlight do in the dark?

Gaze into each other’s eyes, share kisses, and eventually, reduce their remaining physical activities to just their bodies…

In truth, they could be hailed as rather cunning women.

When milling about during the day, they would merely be one flower among many in a vast blooming landscape. But in the depths of night, they transformed into a singular woman.

Every part of Qing’s imagination blossomed in pure innocence, in the depths of the night, continuously lingering in front of Oki-rin.

Thus, when Qing flopped onto the luxurious, plush seat of the waiting carriage at the horse stable, she buried her back comfortably into it.

“If you’re gonna be a bother, why don’t you just wear a face veil like me? Our Grandpa saved me from every scoundrel sticking to me by doing that.”

“What sort of nonsense is a man wearing a face veil?”

“Just wear that straw hat lower. Do you think they’ll recognize you with just your chin showing?”

“Hah. I haven’t done anything wrong, so why would I avoid them? When have I ever shied away from those scoundrels?”

Even when riding along Luyang, and even when traveling with the Swordmaster, Oki-rin never hid from pursuers.

Whether it was during meals or while going out, she had never made excuses to hide.

Then it suddenly hit her.

“Hmm? Well, what about now? Aren’t we avoiding them?”

“Hmm?”

Pang Dae-san’s eyebrows twitched again.

But this eyebrow movement wasn’t one of discomfort; it was one of surprise.

“That’s…”

Pang Dae-san started to explain but then fell silent.

Even he thought it was true they were avoiding.

So, he was left in confusion.

Why am I sneaking out like a shameful person at this hour? It’s not like those scoundrels haven’t pulled their nonsense before, so why does it feel so bothersome?

But no matter how he thought about it, nothing came to mind, leaving just a tingling frustration.

Then, from somewhere, a familiar snoring sound disturbed the moment—

Gorong. A pleasant sound, akin to the adorable snorting of the Black Dog from the family.

Pang Dae-san realized that noise was coming from the sleeping beauty, Qing, who had dropped off.

“What the…”

Pang Dae-san lost his words at the sight of her sleeping form.

One hand was propped up near her eyes, while the other dangled out of the chair.

One leg was bent up, with her knee resting against the backrest while the other was hanging off the chair, toes planted on the ground.

It was a terribly messy sight that would certainly result in severe retribution if Seomun Sulin saw her.

When something astonishing happens, they say words get lost, and it seemed such incidents occurred more often in front of Qing.

“Sigh.”

Pang Dae-san suppressed a sigh, letting out a huge breath instead.

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